NOAA is soliciting grant proposals for the National Estuarine Research Reserve System’s Margaret A. Davidson Graduate Fellowship (Davidson Fellowship) from master’s and doctoral students actively enrolled in a graduate program at an accredited university. The National Estuarine Research Reserve System is a program of the Office for Coastal Management which has an interest in balancing the needs of the natural environment and coastal economies and is responsible for implementing the Coastal Zone Management Act.

The goals of the Davidson Fellowship are to build the next generation of leaders in estuarine science and coastal management by affording qualified graduate students the opportunity to conduct collaborative science within the National Estuarine Research Reserve System; partake in professional development opportunities; and receive mentoring to support professional growth. All Davidson Fellowship projects must be conducted in a research reserve and should be designed to contribute to one of the reserve’s priority management areas, and thus enhance the scientific understanding of the natural or social science aspects of the research subject matter. One fellow will be selected for each of the 29 reserves for a two-year duration. Mentoring and professional development activities will be provided to build knowledge and skills needed to successfully contribute to the workforce responsible for the coast. These opportunities are also designed to create a strong network among the fellows during their tenure and into the early portion of their careers.

Typically, awards will be made to the fellow's graduate institution through the use of a cooperative agreement. Funds are expected to be available on a competitive basis to qualified graduate students. To be eligible, applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of U.S. states or territories, and admitted to or enrolled full-time in a master's or doctoral program at a U.S. accredited university. Minority students are encouraged to apply. Additional information about the fellowship may be found at: https://coast.noaa.gov/nerrs/research/davidson-fellowship.html